Feb 03

Green tea can slow cancer tumor

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Good news for coffee and green tea drinkers! A recent study has found that regular consumption of coffee and green tea can effectively slow the growth of brian cancer tumors.

A group of scientists has said that caffeine found in coffee and green tea could effectively slow the growth of brain cancer tumours.

According to the researchers at the (South) Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), animal test results showed regular caffeine found in coffee and green tea to have strongly repressed the growth of inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) closely linked to glioblastoma, which is the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumour found in human
.

The research team, comprising of scientists from Seoul National University, Gyeongsang National University, and Emory University in Atlanta, said that calcium plays a primary role in spreading glioblastoma tumour cells in humans, and that IP3R directly contributes to the amount of calcium released.

They discovered a sub-type of IP3R, or IP3R3, to be very active among brain cancer patients and that caffeine stymies the spread of such compounds, resulting in less tumour growth in the brain and blocks cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body, reports Xinhua.

“This is the first type of discovery showing caffeine to have an inhibitive effect on the growth of glioblastoma, and thus, we expect it to have monumental impact on related studies,” said Lee Chang-joon, who led the study.

The researchers said that the amounts of caffeine used in the animal tests were somewhere in the range of two to five cups of coffee or green tea consumed on average by humans per day.

Jan 15

Green tea may reduce lung cancer in smokers

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More benefits of drinking green tea have been revealed in a recent study; it may reduce lung cancer even for smokers.

For thousands of years, the people of China, Japan, India, and Thailand have consumed green tea and used it medicinally to treat everything from headaches to flatulence. In fact, the ancient Chinese proverb, “better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one,” gives us an idea of how much they believed in its curative abilities. Over the past few decades, however, research in both Asia and the West has begun providing scientific evidence of green tea’s numerous health benefits.

As a whole, studies indicate that regular consumption of green tea may slow or prevent conditions including high cholesterol, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, impaired immune disease and liver disease. In addition, some studies have indicated green tea may have cancer-fighting properties, lowering the rate of gastric, esophageal, and mouth cancers. And in a conference this week sponsored by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), researchers reported that Taiwanese smokers who consumed one cup of green tea each day significantly reduced their chances of developing lung cancer.

For their study, Dr. I-Hsin Lin, of Chung Shan Medical University in Taiwan, and her colleagues recruited 170 people with lung cancer and 340 healthy patients as controls. The participants completed questionnaires regarding their lifestyle habits, including how much they smoked, how much green tea they drank, their dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, cooking practices and family history of lung cancer. They also underwent genotyping on insulin-like growth factors: IGF1, IGF2, and IGFBP3, all of which have been reported to be associated with cancer risk.

The results showed that both smokers and non-smokers who did not drink green tea were 5 times more likely to develop lung cancer compared to those who drank at least one cup of green tea per day. Smokers who did not drink green tea at all were more than 12 times more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than those who drank at least one cup of green tea per day. However, the protection was greatest for those carrying certain genes. Green tea drinkers, whether smokers or non-smokers, with non-susceptible IGF1 (CA)19/(CA)19 and (CA)19/X genotypes reported a 66 percent reduction in lung cancer risk compared with green tea drinkers carrying the IGF1 X/X genotype.

Dec 27

Green tea and prostate cancer

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Yet another benefit of drinking green tea regularly; it could delay the onset of prostate cancer.

Active compounds in green tea may slow down the progression of prostate cancer, researchers reported on Friday.

Capsules made using green tea extracts called polyphenols lowered levels of proteins that tumors use to grow, the researchers found.

Made by Polyphenon Pharma, the capsules called Polyphenon E contain epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, a green tea extract that has antioxidant properties.

Jim Cardelli of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport and colleagues tested 26 prostate cancer patients, aged from 41 to 68.

Each took four Polyphenon E capsules a day — equivalent to drinking 12 cups of green tea — for about a month before they had their prostates removed.

Blood tests showed levels of three proteins associated with the growth and spread of prostate cancer fell. Hepatocyte growth factor or HGF fell 18.9 percent on average, vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF fell by 9.9 percent and prostate specific antigen PSA fell by 10.4 percent, they reported in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

HGF and VEGF are produced when tumors spread and some patients showed “significant” reduction levels of more than 30 percent, Cardelli said.

Few side effects were reported and liver function of the patients remained normal.

“It’s still in an early stage. Green tea can keep cancer from growing very fast, but it may not be able to shrink tumors,” Cardelli said in a telephone interview.

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Dec 24

Calming tea for Christmas eve

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How tea can help you stay calm and relaxed on Christmas eve.

Christmas Eve and there is so much to do. Gifts must be wrapped, shopping is not done, people are coming in town, kids are way too excited and had one too many chocolate Santa’s to eat and you are on your last nerve, what do you do?

There are a variety of calming herbs and teas that can help you relax. Chamomile tea is a great way to calm the nerves. Glycine, an amino acid in chamomile, acts a nerve relaxant. It taste great and add a little peppermint or mint to give it a holiday touch. Kids love the taste of this wonderful tea as well and can be calming. Make it iced with a few cranberries or fruit floating on top.

Passionflower tea has anti-anxiety properties and can help sooth and calm. It can help relax muscles, improve blood circulation and help with headaches. Ashwagandha Tea is good for calming the nerves and helping with stress and nervous exhaustion. It helps clear the mind which can help improve memory because it does not feel cluttered. It is a very good calming tea.

Skullcap tea is not only good for calming nerves it can help women who have PMS. This wonderful tea can help relax tense muscles and even help with muscle spasms. It also helps reduce irritability. Mint teas have a wonderful aroma and a warm cup can help sooth and calm nerves.

Ginseng tea is good for a variety of reasons. It helps clear mental exhaustion which is bound to happen over the holiday season and can almost immediately reduce stress. In addition, this wonderful tea can help build your immune system, helps with mental and physical fatigue, and has an overall calming effect. Ginseng tea has many health benefits as well. So pour yourself a nice warm cup, and maybe pick up a few packages to give as calming gifts.

Of course valerian tea is wonderful for tension, stress, anxiety and nerves. Though not the greatest tasting tea, flavors can be added to this to make it taste a little more pleasing. If you have a difficult time sleeping, this teas will definitely do the trick.

Dec 22

Green tea may lessen depression

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A recent study have found that regular green tea intake to be effective in fighting depression.

DAAN carries an extensive selection of quality tea products.

ELDERLY people who drink several cups of green tea a day were less likely to suffer from depression, probably due to a “feel good” chemical found in this type of tea, Japanese researchers said.

Several studies have linked drinking green tea to lessening psychological problems and Dr Kaijun Niu, of Tohoku University Graduate School, and colleagues found men and women aged 70 and older who drank four or more cups of green tea daily were 44 per cent less likely to have symptoms of depression.

Green tea is widely consumed in many Asian countries, including China and Japan.

Dr Niu and the team investigated 1058 relatively healthy elderly men and women.

About 34 per cent of the men and 39 per cent of the women had symptoms of depression, according to the study that was published in the December issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

A total of 488 participants said they drank four or more cups of green tea a day, 284 said they downed two to three cups daily and the rest reported having one or fewer cups daily.

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According to the researchers, the apparent effect of drinking more green tea on alleviating symptoms of depression did not fade after they factored in social and economic status, gender, diet, history of medical problems and use of antidepressants.

By contrast, there was no association between consumption of black or oolong tea, or coffee, and lower symptoms of depression.

Dec 18

Green tea can cheer you up

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Japanese researchers have found regular drinkers of green tea are more likely to be cheerful and less depressed.

Elderly men and women who sip on several cups of green tea a day may be less likely to have the blues, hint findings of a study from Japan.

Dr. Kaijun Niu, at Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering in Sendai, and colleagues found men and women aged 70 and older who drank four or more, versus one or fewer, cups of green tea daily were 44 percent less likely to have symptoms of depression.

Several prior studies have linked green tea consumption to reduced levels of psychological distress. This led Niu and colleagues to look at associations between drinking green tea and symptoms of depression in 1,058 relatively healthy elderly individuals.

About 34 percent of the men and 39 percent of the women had symptoms of depression, according to a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. These symptoms were severe in about 20 percent of the men and in about 24 percent of the women.

Overall, 488 participants said they drank four or more cups of green tea a day, 284 said they downed two to three cups daily and the remaining 286 reported having one or fewer cups daily.

According to the investigators, the apparent protective effect of greater green tea consumption on symptoms of depression did not fade after they factored in social and economic status, gender, diet, history of medical problems, use of antidepressant medications, smoking, and physical activity.

By contrast, there was no association between consumption of black or oolong tea, or coffee, and lower symptoms of depression.

A green tea component, the amino acid theanine, which is thought to have a tranquilizing effect on the brain, may explain the “potentially beneficial effect” shown in the current study, Niu noted in an email to Reuters Health.

However, further studies are necessary to confirm whether greater green tea intake actually has antidepressant effects. Therefore, Niu shied away from recommending greater green tea intake to minimize depression among the elderly.

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Dec 16

Tea and coffee can lower diabetes risks

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i00331Recent studies have indicated that high intake of coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and/or tea is associated with a reduction in the risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes.

DAAN offers a variety of tea for your consumption.

“Tea and coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” reported the BBC, adding that the protection may not be down to caffeine since decaffeinated coffee has the greatest effect.

This story is based on a systematic review and meta-analysis that pooled data from studies of the association between tea and coffee consumption and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It found the more tea, coffee or decaffeinated coffee was drunk, the lower the risk of developing diabetes.

People should not drink more tea or coffee on the strength of this evidence. The review did not account for diet, exercise and lifestyle, and the studies included were varied. The results do, however, suggest that further research is warranted. Maintaining a healthy weight, choosing a sensible diet and participating in physical activity remain the best ways to protect against type 2 diabetes.

Where did the story come from?
This research was carried out by Dr Rachel Huxley and colleagues from the University of Sydney. It was funded by the National Heart Foundation of Australia. The study was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

The newspapers highlighted the benefits of tea and coffee based on this research, but generally also reported that other factors such as diet and exercise also play a role.

What kind of research was this?
This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of a number of studies. The researchers say it has been suggested that coffee may be able to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. To investigate this, they searched scientific databases to look for prospective studies on coffee, decaffeinated coffee and tea that estimated the effect of these drinks on diabetes over time.

What did the research involve?
The researchers searched several scientific databases for relevant articles using the keywords ‘tea’, ‘coffee’, ‘decaffeinated coffee’ and ‘diabetes’. These search results were then condensed further, using the abstracts of the articles as guidance. Studies in animals, cross-sectional studies and case series (which did not include a time component to the analysis) were excluded, as were studies of only type 1 diabetes.

To be included, studies had to be prospective cohort studies giving an estimate of the risk of type 2 diabetes over time and the number of cups of tea, coffee and decaffeinated coffee consumed. They also had to take into account age and body mass index (BMI), which are major risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

This resulted in the pooling of data from 18 studies. As there was some variability in what each study tested, the researchers grouped the participants into two groups for analysis, those who drank three to four cups versus those who drank less than two cups or no cups. The researchers also classified tea drinkers as people who drank green, black or oolong tea rather than analysing each type of tea separately.

The study populations were predominantly white with 21% of the data derived from Asian cohorts.

The majority of the studies asked the participants to keep a drinks diary to record their tea or coffee consumption. In one study, participants were asked to estimate their tea and coffee consumption over the past 24 hours. Type 2 diabetes was either determined by the participants reporting their diagnosis or with an oral glucose-tolerance test.

What were the basic results?
The 18 studies had a total of 457,922 participants, in which coffee drinkers had a 25% lower risk of developing diabetes than people who drank no coffee or up to two cups of tea a day (relative risk [RR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69 to 0.82). As these studies were varied, the authors refined their analysis to 11 studies, which they adjusted for age, sex other confounders and found the same association. The researchers also found that smaller studies tended to show larger effects so decided to include only the six largest studies. This resulted in a smaller, 15% reduced risk of diabetes in people who drank three to four cups of coffee a day.

In six studies that looked at decaffeinated coffee (a total of 225,516 participants) individuals that drank three to four cups of decaffeinated coffee a day had approximately a third less chance of developing diabetes (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.77).

The effect of tea on diabetes was investigated by seven studies with a total of 286,701 participants. The pooled results showed the risk of diabetes was about a fifth lower in people who drank more than three to four cups of tea per day compared to people who drank no tea (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.94).

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Nov 10

Ginger Tea

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Susan Yen L.Ac

As young tender ginger matures, its golden hue skin will gradually darken and lose its sheen. Its fibers will become tough and coarse as its juice dry up. (It looks like a deflated balloon.) Even at its late stage, ginger is best used as a warming agent, for it has become very spicy. There are people who put these much matured ginger in bath water, to further enhance their circulation. (This is not recommended for those who have allergy/sensitive skin.)

For those who often feel cold, the spiciness of these matured gingers is a great way to warm the body. Just boil it in broth or tea for about five minutes or, one can even add another dimension to hot chocolate with some matured ginger. Simply boil matured ginger (preferably sliced) in half cup of water, let it boil for 5 minutes and then stir in with hot chocolate. This tasty drink is recommended for women who get cramps and lack of energy during menstrual period.

Aug 27

The man who discovered tea

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Legend has it that tea was discovered by Chinese emperor Shen Nong. Here’s a fascinating article about an exhibit at UCLA about the history of tea:

A little background makes the significance of tea in world history even more remarkable. Like salt in ancient times, tea, because of its exclusive botany and particular climate and soil requirements, became an invaluable necessity and a desirable trading commodity.

Tea comes from a single plant, camellia sinensis, native to southeastern Asia. The Chinese multiple-stem shrub (var. sinensis) has small leaves that protect it against cold weather, while the Indian single-stem plant (var. assamica) thrives in subtropical and rainy regions. The difference in color’black, green, oolong, yellow, red or white’depends on the varying levels of oxidation. Black teas are fully oxidized, white teas are nonoxidized. Chamomile, rooibos and herbal beverages are derived from other plants; they are infusions, not teas.

While we may be accustomed to drinking loose-leaf tea stored in a tin or a bag, tea may also be compressed or powdered. During the Tang dynasty (619-907), tea was molded into bricks and then shaved and boiled in a cauldron. The custom of grinding tea into powder to form cakes or whisk with hot water in a tea bowl followed. The first teapots specifically designed for brewing loose-leaf tea were created in the 1500s. These early, unglazed vessels were designed and produced in Yixing, in eastern China. They were never washed, simply rinsed out with cold water, which resulted in the interior of the pot developing a residual layer of tea.

The father of tea, according to legend, was the Chinese emperor Shen Nong, who tasted tea accidentally one summer day while visiting a distant region of his realm. He and his servants stopped to rest, and in accordance of the emperor’s ruling that drinking water be boiled as a hygienic precaution, he awaited his servants’ preparations. Dried leaves from a nearby bush fell into the boiling water and a brown liquid was infused into the water. As a scientist, Shen Nong is credited with identifying hundreds of medical and poisonous herbs by personally testing their properties. Tea, which acts as an antidote against the poisonous effects of some 70 herbs, was an important discovery indeed.

Tea found its way to Japan along with Buddhism during the Heian period (794-1185) by monks who had traveled to China to study Zen and believed the beverage enhanced religious meditation. The custom spread to the royal court and was given imperial sponsorship, which elevated it to an art form and the creation of the Japanese Tea Ceremony, known as chanoyu (‘hot water for tea’).

Aug 26

Green tea health benefits

Alternative therapies, Tea No Comments »

Green tea is truly a wonder food, full of anti-oxidants

Tea, the pause that refreshes

Tea, the pause that refreshes

:

Tea has long been known for its medicinal effects in many parts of the world, particularly in the Orient. Tea ceremonies have been a tradition in Japan for hundreds of years and recently have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Green tea is made from the dried leaves of Camellia sinensis , a perennial evergreen shrub. Green tea has a long history of use, dating back to China approximately 5,000 years ago. Green tea, black tea, and oolong tea are all derived from the same plant. Tea varieties reflect the growing region (for example, Ceylon or Assam), the district (for example, Darjeeling), the form (for example, pekoe is cut, gunpowder is rolled), and the processing method (for example, black, green, or oolong). India and Sri Lanka are the major producers of green tea.

Historically, tea has been served as a part of various ceremonies and has been used to stay alert during long meditations. According to WHFoods, green tea is the least processed and thus provides the most antioxidant polyphenols, notably a catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is believed to be responsible for most of the health benefits linked to green tea. Green tea is made by briefly steaming the just harvested leaves, rendering them soft and pliable and preventing them from fermenting or changing color. After steaming, the leaves are rolled, then spread out and “fired” (dried with hot air or pan-fried in a wok) until they are crisp. The resulting greenish-yellow tea has a green, slightly astringent flavor close to the taste of the fresh leaf.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMM), botanical evidence indicates that India and China were among the first countries to cultivate tea. Today, hundreds of millions of people drink tea around the world, and studies are now suggesting that green tea (Camellia sinesis) in particular has many health benefits. There are three main varieties of tea — green, black, and oolong. The difference between the teas is in their processing. Green tea is made from unfermented leaves and reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. Antioxidants are substances that scavenge free radicals — damaging compounds in the body that alter cells, tamper with DNA (genetic material), and even cause cell death. Free radicals occur naturally in the body, but environmental toxins (including ultraviolet rays from the sun, radiation, cigarette smoke, and air pollution) also give rise to these damaging particles. Many scientists believe that free radicals contribute to the aging process as well as the development of a number of health problems, including cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants such as polyphenols in green tea can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause. Green tea has been consumed throughout the ages in India, China, Japan, and Thailand.

In traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, practitioners used green tea as a stimulant, diuretic (to promote the excretion of urine), astringent (to control bleeding and help heal wounds), and to improve heart health. Other traditional uses of green tea include treating flatulence (gas), regulating body temperature and blood sugar, promoting digestion, and improving mental processes. According to About.com,

Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent.

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